Underwater brush



Oct. 10, 1961 D'ARCY v. SHOULDICE 3,003,168

UNDERWATER BRUSH Filed Aug. 24, 1959 INVENTOR. p ARCY V SHOULD/CE AGENTFiled Aug. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 835,719 2 Claims. (Cl. 15-1-7) The presentinvention relates to brushes and more specifically to brushes forscrubbing underwater surfaces.

Large surfaces, as in swimming pools, which remain under water for longperiods of time, accumulate an adherent coating of organic matter, e.g.,algae, and dirt or scum. In order to remove or prevent suchaccumulations, the surfaces must be periodically and frequentlyscrubbed. Generally the scrubbing is accomplished by manually scouringthe surface with a stiff bristled brush. A long handle is attached tothe brush to facilitate reaching the underwater surfaces which oftenextend to 12 feet beneath the water surface. The physical effortinvolved in scrubbing underwater surfaces is quite great, since theoperator must manipulate the brush at a distance by means of the longhandle. In addition the brush must be positively forced against thesurface in order to remove the tightly adhering scum and algae.Scrubbing vertical walls is especially difficult since the operator muststand on the pool apron, extend a part of his body out over the water tohold the brush handle, move the brush up and down, and exert pressuretowards the pool wall being scrubbed. Such an operation is extremelytiresome and inefficient.

Now an underwater brush has been invented whereby the water itselfassists the operator in forcing the brush against the surface beingscrubbed. In the present invention, a Water foil mounted on the brushholder vane is actuated by the brushs movement through the water. Thewater foil thereby presents a large surface at an angle to the waterwhereby the water flowing over such surface imparts a downward thrustingforce upon the entire brush. Such force greatly enhances the operatorsability to scrub underwater surfaces.

nited States Patent It is therefore'an object of the invention toprovide 7 a brush for underwater surfaces wherein a water foil increasesthe scrubbing pressure of the brush.

Another object of the invention is to provide an underwater brushwherein a portion of the push-pull motion imparted to the brush isconverted into a scrubbing pressure upon the surface being cleaned.

Another object of the invention is to provide an underwater brush and awater foil affixed thereto.

.Still another object of the invention is to provide an underwater brushwhich is assisted in its scrubbing action by the water medium.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an underwater brushand a water foil aflixed thereto, and means whereby the attack angle ofthe water foil is regulated by the water flow over said brush foil.

The invention and its operation will be better understood by referenceto the accompanying drawing of which:

FIGURE 1 is a partially exploded view of the preferred embodiment of theunderwater brush; and

FIGURE 2 is partially exploded view of a second embodiment of theinvention.

The term water foil as used in the present invention refers to a thinrigid structural member having relatively large flat surfaceyareas lyingin a plane transverse to a plane through the thin portion thereof. Thewater foil is in general analogous structurally to an air foil or wingcommonly utilized in supporting heavier-than-air craft in flight.However in the present invention the water foil serves the function ofdirecting forces created by 3,41%,168 Patented Oct. 10, 1961 waterflowing thereover in certain desired directions as explained in otherportions of the description.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, there is shown an underwater brush 11comprising a handle fitting 12 shaped at one end to retain a handle 13therein. The other end of the handle fitting 12 is rigidly secured to abrush backing vane 14 as by screws 16. Backing vane 14 is generallylonger than it is wide and is fitted to the handle fitting 12 such thatits longitudinal axis is transverse to the axis of handle 13. The undersurface of backing vane 14- is milled out along its longitudinal axis toform retaining grooves for scrubbing brushes 17 and. 18. Brushes 1'7 and18 are retained in the grooves as by screws (not shown) driven throughthe body of the backing vane 14.

The upper surface of backing vane 14 is shaped into a depressed arcuateportion 19, such portion running longitudinally along the backing vane.Running longitudinally along the upper surface of vane 14 and at eitherend of arcuate portion 19 are foil stops 21 and 22. Foil stops 21 and 22form an integral raised portion of backing vane 14-.

End plates 23 and 24 are rigidly retained on the fiat transverse ends ofvane 14. End plates 23 and 24 generally conform in their-lower portionsto the cross-sectional shape of vane 14, but in addition have anupwardly extending generally triangular portion 26 and 27 respectively.Bearing holes 28 and 29 are drilled through the upwardly extendingportions 26 and 27 of the end plates. Such bearing holes have theircenters on an axis above and concentric to the upper surface of arcuateportion 19 of backing vane 14. Additionally, bearing holes 28 and 29 areto retain the end portions of a shaft 31.

Shaft 31 extends through a rigid water foil 32 and is fixedly securedthereto. Waterfoil 32 is rectangular in shape and is relatively thin incross-section. Water foil 32 has a length almost but not quite equal tothe length of backing vane 14. In addition, water foil 32 whilegenerally flat on its broad surface, is divided into an upper portion 33and a lower portion 34, the junction of such upper and lower portionsbeing at a line along which shaft 31 passes through water foil 32. Lowerportion 34 has a width slightly less than a radius extending from thecenter of the bearing holes 28 and 29 to the upper surface of arcuateportion 19 of backing vane 14. Upper portion 33 may have anyconvenientwidth, which, however, must be greater than the width of lower portion34.

When shaft 31 is held in bearing holes 28 and 29, water foil 32 is freeto rotate about the axis of shaft 31. However, the water foils freedomof rotation is restricted by foil stops 21 and 22, i.e., water foil 32can rotate about shaft 31 until lower portion 34 bears up againstone ofthe foil stops. Water foil 32 can then rotate in the oppositedirection=until lower portion 34 bears up against the other foil stop.

Generally all the parts of the underwater brush described above exceptthe brushes themselves are constructed of a rigid, corrosion resistantmaterial such as aluminum alloy commonly available in commerce. Waterfoil 32 and end plates 23 and 24 can be manufactured by either stampingor forging. Backing vane 14 is particularly suited for forming by anextrusion process. In any event all the parts are easily constructedusing processes well known in the art. The scrubbing brushes 17 and 18are also commercially available and are well known in trade.

In operation, brush 11 is manipulated by handle 13. Scrubbing brushes 17and 18 are brought to bear against an underwater surface to be scrubbed.The brush is simply moved over the underwater surface with a push-pullmotion. However in the present invention the motion of the brush throughthe water forces water foil 32 to present its broad flat surface at anangle to the water. Since water foil upper portion 33 is larger in areathan lower portion 32 the total force exerted against it by the water isgreater than the force exerted on the lower portion. As a result atorque about shaft 31 develops and water foil 32 flips into a positionwhereby the water foil is inclined away from the direction of brushmotion. The water foil 32 is held in such position by the force of thewater on the foil surface and the restraint of one of the foil stops 21or 22.

As the brush moves through the water the foil 32 forces the waterpassing thereover in an upward direction. As a consequence the waterexerts a force upon foil 32 and a component of such force is directed ina downward direction, i.e., towards scrubbing brushes 17 and 18. The neteffect is to force the entire underwater brush 11 against the surfacebeing scrubbed, whereby the scrubbing action is greatly increased andthe burden of exerting the scrubbing force is removed from the operator.

When the operator reverses the direction of brush motion, the water onceagain exerts a torque upon water foil 32 and the foil flips intoposition where its broad surface inclines away from the direction ofbrush motion. Once again the water moving over the foil Surface exerts adownward thrusting force and the moving brush is forced against thesurface being scrubbed.

In such a manner, as the operator alternates in pushing and pulling thebrush, the water foil alternates in position to cause the water to exerta downward force upon the brush.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG- URE 2 of thedrawing. The brushes, brush backing vane and end plates are generallyidentical to those parts as shown in FIGURE 1. However in the brush ofFIGURE 2 upper and lower portions 36 and 37 respectively, of water foil38, are both identical in area. Shaft 39, fixed rigidly to water foil38, passes longitudinally therethrough and separates areas 36 and 37 ofthe water foil. Additionally shaft 39 passes through and extends beyondend plates 41 and 42 to form stubs 43 and 44.

Pilot foils 46 and 47 are secured to stubs 43 and 44, respectively, asby set screws. Pilot foils 46 and 47 have generally rectangular foilsurfaces with such surfaces extending to one side only of the shaftportion thereof. Such foil surfaces are small in relation to the area ofwater foil 38. Pilot foils 46 and 47 are aligned with Water foil 38 andhave their foil surfaces extending away from shaft 39 in a plane passingthrough area 37 of water foil 38.

Water foil 38 co-acts with the end plates and brush backing vane inexactly the same manner as previously described in reference toFIGURE 1. However in this embodiment water passing over water foil 38does not exert a torque as both surfaces 36 and 37 are identical inarea. However, water passing over pilot foils 46 and 47 forces waterfoil 38, attached in fixed position thereto, to flip into a positionwherein said water foil is inclined away from the direction of? brushmotion. As a consequence the passing water produces a downward thrustingforce upon the entire brush, thus increasing the scrubbing action. Pilotfoils 46 and 47 insure the proper orientation. of water foil 38 byflipping the foil into the proper inclined position at the beginning ofeach push and pull movement.

While there has been described what are at present considered to be thepreferred embodiments of the invention, it will be understood thatvarious modifications may be made in the underwater brush and it isintended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fallwithin the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An underwater brush comprising a brush backing vane with a bottomportion and upper portion thereof, at least one brush mounted upon thebottom portion of said backing vane, first and second water foilsupports afiixed to opposite ends of said backing vane and extendingupwardly therefrom, a water foil affixed to a shaft retained betweensaid water foil supports and wherein said water foil is divided into anupper and lower portion by said shaft, said upper portion having an areasubstantially greater than the lower foil portion and wherein said lowerfoil portion extends downwardly towards and terminates adjacent thebacking vane, a first foil stop element forming a portion of the backingvane and extending upwardly therefrom to restrain the water foil in aforward inclined position, and a second foil stop element forming aportion of the backing vane and extending upward therefrom to restrainthe water foil in a backward inclined position.

2. An underwater brush comprising a brush backing vane with a bottomportion and upper portion thereof, at least one brush mounted upon thebottom portion of said backing vane, first and second water foilsupports affixed to opposite ends of said backing vane and extendingupwardly therefrom, a water foil having large flat surfaces affixed to ashaft retained between said supports and extending beyond said first andsecond supports to form first and second shaft stubs one half of saidwater foil extending upwardly from said shaft and the other one half ofsaid water foil extending downwardly and terminating adjacent thebacking vane, first and second pilot foils aflixed to the first andsecond shaft stubs respectively and having foil portions extendingupwardly in a plane lying along the large flat surfaces of said waterfoil, a first foil stop element forming a portion of the backing vaneand extending upward therefrom to restrain the water foil in a forwardinclined position, and a second water foil stop element forming aportion of the backing vane and extending upward therefrom to restrainthe water foil in a backward inclined position.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 584,029Great Britain Ian. 6, 1947

